The Third Sunday of Lent, 23rd March, 2025. Cycle C
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road,
New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish - Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
The Third Sunday of Lent, 23rd March, 2025. Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS: LAST CHANCE SALOON?
I always meant to sort out that kitchen shelf and now that it’s crashed to the floor with all the crockery it’s too late. The same goes for that little chip in the windscreen that now looks like a spider’s web, and of course there’s that faulty old plug on the TV set which probably caused last night’s loud explosion during Coronation Street! We love to put things off. Yes, we’ll get round to them some day but at the moment I’m a bit tired, a bit busy or a bit too distracted to do anything about them. There’s always tomorrow. In today’s gospel, one of the most frightening episodes according to many people, Jesus issues a real warning. Don’t think that you can put off repentance until tomorrow because repentance is a “now-thing” and, what’s more, you never know what’s lurking around the corner. He reminds his listeners of two awful events that had just taken place in and around Jerusalem: a murderous attack on worshippers in the Temple, and a disaster that killed eighteen people when a building collapsed on them. Do you think these people had any idea they wouldn’t return home that day, says Jesus, and do you think they were more guilty than anyone else? Of course not. Then, he tells them, you too must repent now or you will perish like they did. Lent reminds us that repentance is not a once-and-for-all action; we don’t make a grand act of repentance and then sit back and relax. Repentance is a constant activity of the Christian, not continually worrying about our stance before God, but striving all the time to be as close to God as we can by the way we treat other people. Repentance means taking a regular reality check that what we are doing and saying is consistent with our desire to belong to God’s family. And although we concentrate on repentance a great deal in Lent, it is something that should be a daily activity for all of us, and we need to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be able to repent. Is there something in your life that niggles at you? Something that you know you should do something about which will improve your quality of life with God and with others? Well, don’t worry about it; you can always do something about it tomorrow, after Easter, in the summer or in the run-up to Christmas…. Or perhaps not!
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues my feet from the snare. Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: The Lord is compassion and love.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: The sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for her young: by your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blest are they who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise.
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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 11.00am- 11.30am.
All morning services will take place in St Anne’s house; at St John’s Monday and Friday Masses will be held in the Day Chapel, Tuesday and Wednesday Masses will remain in the main Church.
Three Parishes Reconciliation Service: will be held at St John’s on Tuesday, 8th April at 7pm.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: this week’s total was £691.67 p. Many thanks for your continued support.
Further to the recent Boiler appeal, a separate bank account has now been set up specifically to ‘ring fence’ contributions to the new boiler fund. Please make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry and write 29001/NFJ/DU on the reverse. Cash donations should be placed in an envelope with 29001/BNFJ/DU written on the outside.
Thank you for the further generous donations received towards the Boiler Fund.
Bookings for the reception & Celebration of Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation & Wedding, Please enquire & arrange for these through the parish emails / Secretaries of St. Anne’s & St. John’s. Also contact the Parish Priest/Administrator through 0151-645-3314 You can get in touch with Ann Murray on 07745490279 regarding general parish queries.
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions, fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the Presbytery letterbox. We are receiving numerous Mass intentions for the same dates. Every effort is taken, but it is impossible to fulfil every request as dates have already been filled and, therefore, we will deal with them on a first come first serve basis. If a particular date is requested please give at least THREE week’s notice. If the date has been filled, we will put your intention in as near as possible to the original date. Thank you for your patience and co-operation.
In Memoriam. Please continue to pray for all our parishioners who have recently died and their grieving families. May they and all the faithful departed, rest in the peace of Christ.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat. The next date is SUNDAY 6th APRIL 2025.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help to support our local Foodbank as much as you can with both food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church.
First Holy Communion Preparation Classes The children of the parish have now enrolled on their programme of preparation for First Forgiveness and Holy Communion. Please keep them in your prayers as they grow in their faith journey.
Parishes of Saints Anne, John & Luke Pilgrimage to St Josephs (Eucharistic Shrine), Stockport Thursday 5th June Price £15 per person. Please bring your own packed lunch. THERE IS A SIGN UP SHEET ON THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF CHURCH IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US ON THE DAY. See Poster at the back of church for the timetable.
FATIMA & MEDJUGORIE 2025: if you are interested in joining Fr Mario on pilgrimage to Fatima on 10th June for 5 days (£650) or to Medjugorie on 16th September for 8 days (£749), please contact Maria Fryer on 07576243343. Flying from Manchester, airport transfer, tour guide, bed, breakfast and evening meal included.
Lenten lunches- Soup will be served after 12 o’clock Mass at St Anne’s church every Friday during Lent. If you are available to help please contact Paddy on 07862 11712
St Philip Neri Parish (St Joseph's and St Micheal and All Angels) on Friday, 4th April at 7.30pm are holding a Concert - "A Night at the Musicals" performed by the Warrington Male Voice Choir. Tickets price £8.00 are available from the Parish Office at St Joseph's 652 5767 or via contacting Deacon Gerard Boyle 07742659728.
Booking for 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage to Lourdes is now open. The brochure and booking forms are available to download from the Pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk .
Anointing & Healing Service, Friday 4th April at 7pm at St John’s. Speaker: Fr Chris Thomas. Theme: “And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it” (Mk 16:20) All most welcome.
New Offertory Envelope Boxes can be collected at the back of church. If your name is not on the boxes, please take a blank box of envelopes.
Standing Orders are not gift aided unless you completed a Gift Aid Form at the same time. If you would like to gift aid your Standing Order offering, Gift Aid Forms are available from Ann Murray.
Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality: You are invited by Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality to join them in prayer, saying the Rosary together via Zoom on Wednesdays during Lent. Details secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
Divine Mercy and St Michael Retreat is being held on Friday 2nd May 2.00– 3.30pm at Birkenhead Carmelite Monastery Grosvenor Place, Birkenhead, Prenton, Merseyside CH43 1UA. See poster on the notice board at the back of church for details.
+55 Group next meeting will be held at St Anne’s Club on Tuesday, 1st April at 12.30pm. Speaker: Chantelle Day on the subject of the Alzheimer Society. All welcome. The meeting being held on Tuesday, 6th May at 12.30pm is to Celebrate 80 Years Since the End of WW2. There will be a buffet, raffle & entertainment. If you are attending, please contact Sheila McAllister as she needs to know numbers for catering purposes - RSVP 07484285954.
There is a vacancy within St John’s for the Volunteer Role of Parish Safeguarding Representative. Please speak to Fr Mario if you are interested in applying for this position.
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Saturday 22nd 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Ints Sr. Anne Marie
The Third Sunday of Lent 23rd 9.30am Roy Turner RIP
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 24th 9 .15am Winifride Shaw
Tuesday Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord 25th 9.30am World Peace
Wednesday 26th 9.15am Lenten Novena
10-2.30pm First Forgiveness for our schoolchildren
7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
In Honour of St Anne -Pray for Families
Thursday 27th NO MASS
Friday 28th 9.15am Canon Brendan Hoban RIP
Saturday 29th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Helen Westerside RIP
The Fourth Sunday of Lent 30th 9.30am Eileen Spencer RIP
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Weekend Masses - Please note that the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed immediately before each Mass. Please use this as a time for prayer & quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly & remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 22nd 6.30pm Carina Nugent RIP
Third Sunday of Lent 23rd 11.00am Martin Gorman 3rd Annv
Charlie Gorman 1st Annv
Monday 24th 12noon Funeral Mass – John Sherlock
Molly McBurney RIP
Tuesday Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord 25th 12noon Eileen O’Rourke RIP
For Families
Wednesday 26th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Thursday 27th NO MASS
Friday 28th 11.00am Stations of the Cross
12 Noon John Griffiths RIP
1-3 pm Rosary
Saturday 29th 6.30pm For the Parishioners of St. Anne’s,
St. John’s & St. Luke’s and for the Youth
Fourth Sunday of Lent 30th 11.00am John Sherlock RIP
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Please remember to put your clocks FORWARD ONE HOUR
on Saturday evening 29th March.
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